Foot support



Oct. 21 wzq.

v Q 1,512,302 j L. D. NOBLE FOOT SUPPORT Filed June 14. 1923 Me/nim Leslie I. //0b/e.

Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

TEn 1 '1" OFFICE. I

LESLIE D. NOBLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FOOT SUPPORT.

Application filed June 14, 1923. Serial No. 645,251.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE D. NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Foot Supports, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the .same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to foot supports, and the object is to provide a device of a character to correct fallen arches and other foot ailments and the tendency of the foot to assume incorrect position resulting in an overrunning of the heel. The principal features of the invention are involved in the provision of a comparatively thin flexible insole member, a member attachable thereto connected therewith and providing a heel portion thicker-on one side than the other and a forward portion positioned beneath the metatarsal bones of the foot, both the lastnanied portion and the tapered heelportion lying-on the under side of the flexible insole member and additionally braced or supported by a metal strip a is hereinafter described. It has heretofore been the practice to form an insole with pads inserted between an upper and a lower piece of material sewed together, and it is also common practice to provide a pad formed integrally .with the insole Both such previous forms are expensive and particularly the second form is wasteful of leather, and an object of this invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive construction in which the desired result in correction'of foot deformities may be secured. A further object is to secure a foot support of greater efliciency than has been possible with other types of structures. These and other objects and novel features .of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, andthe preferred form of construction of a foot support embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved foot support as applied to a shoe indicated by dotted lines in the figure.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, of the reverse side of the support.

Fig. 3 is across section thereof taken line 3-3 of Fig. 1. a

Fig. 4 is a cross'section' taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. 1

The device consists preferably of a comparatively thin leather insole member 1 sub stantially of uniform thickness and shaped;

to fit the shoe and extending from the heel to a point a slight'distance forward of the metatarsal arch ofthe foot as will be understood from Fig. 1. This member 1 has two transverse slots 2 and 3 formed therein. I have provided what I have termed the pad portion of the foot support which consists of a member 4, the forward portion 5 of which is substantially semi-circular'in form and preferably provided with a beveled edge 6. The opposite end 7 or heel-portion" of the pad is tapered in form as is indicated in Fig. 4 and provided'on the high side with a beveled'edge 8. The body 9 of the pad is formed integral with the ends 5 and 7, and these ends 5 and l 7 are inserted through therespective slots 2 and 3 of the insole 1 and underlie the respective portions of the insole and preferably is cemented in place.

The body is of greater width than the end portions providing shoulders 10 and 11 which prevent longitudinal.displacement of the pad relative to the insole. It is to be understood that this body 9, by the arrange ment stated, lies on the upper side of the insole under the main arch of the-foot tending to sustain the same and in such case as may be required a thin flexible flat spring member 12 is secured by means of small tacks 13 in the opposite ends to the under side of the pad member, the shape of the member 12 being such as to hold the member 4 in arched form. The end portions are less in width than the slots permittingsaid ends to be moved slightly to adjust the same.

Upon being adjusted these ends'may be cemented in. place.

It will be observed by this arrangement, that the pad 5 lies immediately beneath the metatarsal bones of the foot tendingto correct fallen arch or displacement of the metatarsal bones, and that the flexible insole 1y ing onthe upper side of thejpad being com paratively thin and yieldable, tends to hold the foot and metatarsal bones in natural position. The heel portion 7 being tapered in cross section, as shown, tends to hold the and, depending upon the direction in which the heel tends to overrun, the thicker side 8 of the member 7 may be made on the right or left side of the pad.

By the construction described the pad portion may be made of the thick portion of the leather, the insole being made of a separate and comparatively thin piece of leather and thus waste of heavier material is avoided. Further, by the arrangement described I am able tosecure an arched portion tending to uphold the main arch of the footin a manner not possible with a single piece of material, and in the provision of the shoulders 9 and 11 ofthe pad member, the pad is held in an arched position by the member 1.

Having thus briefly described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A foot support comprising a ,member formed of material of substantially uniform thickness shaped to fit within a;boot or shoe andaseparate pad member secured thereto having a heel portion tapered in cross section and a forward pad like portion of uniform thickness positioned substantially centrally, of the under side of the first member beneath the metatarsal arch.

A .foot support comprising a member formedof .a single piece of flexible material shaped to fit within a boot or shoe and extending from theheel to a point forward of the metatarsal bonescof the, foot, a separate pad member having a heel portion tapered in cross section positioned at one side of the heel portion of said flexible material and a forward portion of uniform thickness secured substantially centrally to the under side ofthe flexible material beneath the metatarsal arch.

.3..A footsupport comprising a member formed of asingle piece of flexible material shaped to fit within a boot or shoe and extending from the heel to a point just for- Ward of the metatarsal bones of the foot, a separate pad member having a heel portion tapered incross section and a forward portion of uniform thickness secured on the under side of the flexible material beneath the metatarsal arch.

e'LgA foot support comprising a member formed of flexible material shaped to fit within a boot or shoe and extending from the heel to a point forward of the metatarsal bones of the foot, said member having spaced slots intermediate the ends, a pad member having a heel portion tapered in cross section and a forward portion of substantially uniform thickness, the said for Ward and heel portions being insertible through the slots with the intermediate portion on the upper side of the flexible material and the end portions on the underside thereof, said end portions being secured to the flexible material.

5. A foot support comprising a. member formed of a single piece of flexible material shaped to fit within a boot or shoe and having spaced slots intern'iediate the ends, a pad member having a heel portion tapered in cross section and a forward portion of substantially uniform thickness, the said forward. and heel portions being insertible through the slots with the intermediate portion of the pad member on the upper side of the flexible materialand the said end portions on the under side thereof, and a permanently arched spring metal member secured to the under side of the pad member.

6. 13- footsupport comprising a member formed of material of substantially uniform thickness shaped to fit within a boot or shoe and provided with a transverse slot forward of the heel portion and a second transverse slot to the rear of the metatarsal arch of the foot, a pad-member having end portions, insertible through the slots positioned on the under side of the first-named member with the body thereof on the upper side, the body being of greater width than the slots providing shoulders thereon between the said end portions and the body, the portions of the pad extending through the slots being less in width than the slots permitting variation in position of the said end portions, said end portions being permanently secured in place'subsequent to the positioning thereof.

7 A foot support comprising a leather insole member of substantially uniform thickness and having spaced transverse slots at a point beneath the instep, a separate pad member having end portions insertible th'roughthe slots and lying underneath the insole member, each of said end portions having'a shape and being positioned to pro vide a support for the heel andmetatarsal arch respectively.

8. A'foot support comprising a leather insole member of substantially uniform thickness having spaced transverse slots at a point beneath the instep, a separate pad member having end portions of the desired shape insertible through the slots and lying on the under side of the insole, and a per manently arched strip of spring metal se cured on the under side of the pad member.

In testlmony whereof I sign this specification.

LESLIE D. NOBLE? 

